The Pokemon Master
by Y2Jen
Summary: (The PokeMaster, the original, not the remake.) The story of Ash's life growing up in Pallet Town. (finished)
1. Ch1 The First Half

A man named Mr. Ketchum had just become the Pokemon Master. A few days later his son was born, his name was Ash. One of Mr. Ketchum's best friends was Professor Oak, the ultimate Pokemon authority. Prof. Oak got all of Pallet Town together to have a celebration at the Pallet Town Memorial Hall. The whole town cheered for the returning PokeMaster and his new family.  
  
"I hope that one day my son will follow in my footsteps to become the Pokemon Master." Mr. Ketchum announced to the crowd of television paparazzi and rooting fans. He never saw a dark figure in the corner though, who was ignoring the whole thing.  
  
"Uh, Mr. Ketchum?" Mr. Ketchum looked around for the voice. His wife Delia nudged him and he looked down. It was the future Pewter City Gym Leader, Brock.  
  
"Hey Brock, you came like I asked." Mr. Ketchum grinned. "Now, if my son is like me when I was a kid, he'll go run into trouble. So I need you to hang around him to watch him."  
  
"Yes, well I know someone who didn't come." Mr. Ketchum looked at Brock in shock and then followed him to find out who it was.  
  
"Giovanni." Mr. Ketchum saw him sitting at an empty table flicking a piece of crumpled trash.  
  
"What?" Giovanni snapped in an unnoticeable way, he looked up at Mr. Ketchum.  
  
"We missed you at the party, is everything ok?" Mr. Ketchum asked with concern.  
  
"Fan-bloody-tastic." Giovanni grumbled.  
  
"Well, you're a gym leader and you should've come." Brock stepped in. "After all, he is the Pokemon Master." Mr. Ketchum looked up as Giovanni stood. Brock stepped back, losing his bravery.  
  
"Well duh." Giovanni walked off. Mr. Ketchum just shrugged back at Brock.  
  
"He'll come around." Brock assured.  
  
As time went on, all of Pallet Town watched Ash grow older and become more curious. Soon he was five years old. Ash sat in bed one morning, remembering what his dad had told him four days ago on his birthday.  
  
"Now that you're half way to getting a Pokemon Trainers License, on Monday I will start teaching you all about Pokemon."  
  
And it was Monday now, Ash couldn't wait to start. He went into his parent's room. The floor was a mess. His dad had just gotten a Nintendo 64 with a bunch of sports games. Ash walked to the bed, avoiding paper, cardboard, controllers, games, and even the system itself, until he finally made it over to the bed. "Dad?" Ash whispered. He turned in his sleep and faced Ash.  
  
"Don't worry Ash, I'll get your Mario 64." He said in his sleep.  
  
"Cool." Ash smiled, then leaned closer. "Dad, dad." He finally started banging on his forehead. "Are you in there?"  
  
"Ow, ow, ow, ow." Mr. Ketchum woke up. "I'm up honey, I'm up."  
  
"I'm not honey, I'm Ash." Ash turned up his nose, but then grinned to himself. "Though that does sound good right about now."  
  
"Oh, Ash." Mr. Ketchum laughed. "Well, give me some time and we'll be off. I went to bed late last night, I think I like video games as much as you do."  
  
"Yea, well." Ash muttered absentmindedly as he looked through the games.  
  
As Mr. Ketchum went into the bathroom to shower and get ready, Ash decided to play the basketball game called NBA On NBC. He liked to be Shaq and have the computer be Kobe. He liked to call Shaq 'big head' and Kobe 'shorty' for some reason.  
  
"Let's go." Mr. Ketchum finally was done, he and Ash left.  
  
"Sure, leave the wife to clean up." Delia sighed to herself and folded her arms when she came into the room to see the mess. She shook her head but couldn't help but smile.  
  
"But now, I'm the Pokemon Master and someday, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, you will too." Mr. Ketchum was explaining.  
  
"Do you think I can?"  
  
"Sure, but you have to too. And since you will be the most powerful trainer in the world, our hometown, Pallet, will rely on you to protect them from any danger."  
  
"Mr. Pokemon Master sir!" A voice called, it was Brock and he was panting.  
  
"Please, just Mr. Ketchum."  
  
"Hi Brock." Ash cried cheerfully.  
  
"Hi." Brock turned back to Mr. Ketchum. "When my dad was leaving to start training, he saw a boy and girl who looked about twelve, and a Meowth. They looked pretty suspicious and they're headed this way."  
  
"What's a Meowth?" Ash asked, but rather than an answer, Mr. Ketchum got out a Pokeball. "I'd better deal with this. Take Ash back." He ran off.  
  
"I wish I was a trainer." Ash sighed and started back home.  
  
"Don't worry, when you get a Pokemon you can battle to your hearts content." Brock said as he walked back with him.  
  
Later, Ash ran into Giovanni.  
  
"Hey." Ash ran over.  
  
"Yes?" Giovanni turned to Ash, he had to try and act nice.  
  
"I'm gonna be the next Pokemon Master." He boasted.  
  
"So." Giovanni grumbled.  
  
"My dad told me about Pokemon so now I can catch 'em all." Ash laughed but Giovanni just shrugged. "Hey Giovanni, when I'm Pokemon Master, what's gonna happen to a tough trainer like you?"  
  
"Well I'll be laughed at for letting you win one of my badges and I'll still be only second best." Giovanni grumbled absentmindedly.  
  
"Don't take it so hard." Ash said apologetically.  
  
"Oh I wont. So, why don't you go see the north fields, I hear there's Pokemon."  
  
"Well I don't have one."  
  
"But everyone knows a real trainer doesn't receive their first Pokemon, they catch it." Giovanni's remark caused Ash to perk up. "But like you said, you can't go there, you're too young."  
  
"I won't." Ash said slyly and began to slink off.  
  
"Kids." Giovanni laughed, he knew Ash would go there, just like he wanted.  
  
Later, Ash found his friend Misty, one of the sister gym leaders of Cerulean City.  
  
"Well my first Pokemon will be a water type, like a Staru." She was saying.  
  
"I don't care who I get, all Pokemon are cool." Ash replied. They had got so caught up in talking that they didn't see a small ledge. They fell into an area with tall dry stalks of grass. "The north fields."  
  
"Not much of anything." Misty shrugged but noticed Ash looking at a cave. Pokemon could live in there.  
  
"Stop where you are!" Someone demanded, Brock.  
  
"Great." Ash groaned, he thought his mom was talking with Brock. "Here. Let me show you I don't need a seven year olds protection." That caused Brock to scowl. Ash walked up to the cave. "Hey Pokemon, come on out!" A blast of smoke shot Ash back towards his friends. He got up and hid behind them.  
  
"Yoo-hoo!" A boy's voice was heard. Two figures appeared, a boy and a girl, about twelve.  
  
"You're the good guys, we're the bad."  
  
"When we are happy, you are sad."  
  
"I'm Jessy."  
  
"My name's James."  
  
"Playing rotten is our game."  
  
"Trouble is our name."  
  
"That's right." A furry white cat concluded.  
  
"That's a Meowth." Brock whispered to Ash.  
  
"But I thought Pokemon couldn't talk." He whispered back.  
  
"I guess that one cant." Misty whispered in.  
  
"I could get used to this, but it doesn't sound right." James said thoughtfully to Jessy.  
  
"We'll work on it, let's battle." She replied.  
  
"Use your newly gotten Pokemon!' Meowth cried.  
  
They each threw a Pokeball. Meowth jumped next their Pokemon, James had a Koffing and Jessy had an Ekans.  
  
"We don't have Pokemon." Ash said.  
  
"It gets even easier." Jessy grinned at James.  
  
"Attack!" Meowth leaped up and the two Pokemon followed.  
  
The three chased after the kids. Ekans slapped Brock with his tail and he rolled away. They then continued after Ash and Misty.  
  
"Let's climb up there." Ash said when they were cornered by a dirt hill. They started up when they saw the Pokemon and their trainers.  
  
"Ash!" Misty called.  
  
Ash turned to see the dirt give in below her. Just before Jessy could grab her, Ash pounced on her and helped Misty along. Jessy growled at Ash and they all continued after. On top of the hill was a dead end and it was too late to turn back. They cowered by the wall.  
  
"Scardey cats." James taunted.  
  
"Hey!" Meowth growled.  
  
Ash got in front of Misty and stood bravely. He ran towards Jessy and pounced, but it barely affected her, he just bounced back off and hurt himself. They just laughed at Ash as he got up off the ground, ready to try again. But before he could leap, a shadow fell on them. The figure shoved Jessy, James and Meowth to the floor. They landed in front of Ash. Misty opened her eyes and looked shocked, she thought Ash had hit them. Jessy, James and Meowth thought the same. Who else could it have been?  
  
"So, it's you again." It was Ash's dad, Brock appeared behind him.  
  
"We didn't mean to do anything wrong again." Jessy gulped.  
  
"Leave my son and his friends alone!"  
  
"Your son?" James gulped.  
  
"Uh oh." The trio whispered.  
  
"Here's a second helping." Mr. Ketchum got out his Pokeball. "Go, Raichu!"  
  
"No!" James yelled.  
  
"We're gonna hate electricity all our life!" Jessy cried.  
  
"Rai!" Raichu growled and his tail glowed yellow. He swung it at the three and they flew off screaming.  
  
"Good job Raichu." Mr. Ketchum nodded. "Rai." Raichu went back into his Pokeball. Mr. Ketchum glared down at his son. Ash was going to speak, but he lowered his head instead.  
  
"Dad, I'm sorry." He whispered.  
  
"Come on." Mr. Ketchum led the three kids out of the north field.  
  
"I'll never forget this." Ash told himself. Misty and Brock left Ash and his dad to talk.  
  
"What were you thinking Ash, you have no Pokemon. You put your two friends in danger, what if you were all killed?"  
  
"I, I'm sorry dad." Ash choked, not knowing what else to say. His dad looked down at him, he looked very ashamed.  
  
"You know," Mr. Ketchum wore a slight grin. "I won't always be around to protect you. Be more careful. Now, let's get home so we don't worry your mom."  
  
"Ok dad." Ash grinned up at him and they walked back home.  
  
Meanwhile, Team Rocket was very upset.  
  
"Lousy Pokemon Master." James growled to Meowth who nodded in agreement.  
  
"He's stupid." Jessy agreed.  
  
"And dumb."  
  
"And above all he's,"  
  
"So idiotic."  
  
"Hey lame brains." Meowth cut in. "Those are all the same things." Just then their boss appeared, an angry and disappointed Giovanni.  
  
"You have failed. For some reason I predict more failure in the future. If you want to become lifetime members of my new organization, Team Rocket, you have to perform at least one of my tasks properly."  
  
"Sorry." Meowth apologized and turned to his partners.  
  
"You know," Jessy spoke up. "It's not like we had a fair fight out there."  
  
"Yea." James agreed. "It wasn't like they were alone, they had the Pokemon Master there to help them. He's the brats dad." "Well duh." Giovanni grumbled. "That's why I made that plan. Oh, if only I was the Pokemon Master. But no, I'm just the most powerful gym leader."  
  
"And isn't that enough?" Meowth stepped up. "Hey, at least your second best."  
  
"So? If that Mr. Ketchum wasn't around, I could be able to regain my title as the most powerful trainer in the world."  
  
"Well, how are we going to get rid of them?" Jessy asked.  
  
"Get rid of them, Mr. Ketchum and his son? The Pokemon Master and his son who will most likely follow in his footsteps? But how would that help.. wait, a minute." Giovanni perked up. "I have a plan, come closely and listen."  
  
The next day, Giovanni took Ash to talk with him. They sat on a bench in an open park.  
  
"You know, you shouldn't have gone there." Giovanni was saying. "You need to stay out of trouble. All of town heard about that you know."  
  
"Yea I know, pretty dumb of me haw?"  
  
"Well anyway, I got you a present to apologize.. for the whole telling you about the north field thing."  
  
"Really?" Ash perked up at that, excited.  
  
"Now wait here while I got get it. Oh, and it has something to do with Pokemon." He walked off.  
  
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Ash whispered to himself in excitement, he felt better now.  
  
Elsewhere..  
  
"Where is he?" James asked. "My Koffing wants to fight."  
  
"Well Ekans does too." Jessy grumbled back. "We have to follow instructions this time or the boss will kill us after he gets killed."  
  
"You don't have to tell it like it is." Meowth moaned. "Hey look!"  
  
"It's time." Giovanni came up. Team Rocket let Ekans and Koffing out of their Pokeballs and with Meowth, ran towards a herd of wild Pokemon. "Perfect. And now, the baitie." Giovanni walked off again.  
  
During this, Ash was thinking of his present.  
  
"Will it be a Pokeball with a Pokemon in it? Will it be one of those new kinds of Pokemon or special Pokeballs like I heard about on the news?" Ash stopped his wonderment when he saw a cloud of dust rising in the distance. It was a herd of wild Pokemon, and they were out of control. "I don't think that's my present!" He started to run.  
  
"Yea, this is fun!" Meowth cheered as he socked a Sandslash. Ekans hit a Beedrill and Koffing knocked a Mankey.  
  
"You said it Meowth." James smiled. 'The plan is working."  
  
"Yea, no more brat and a great big raise." Jessy added. They cried out for joy when all of the Pokemon were headed for Ash. They ran to their next position.  
  
Meanwhile, as Ash was running for his life, Brock and Mr. Ketchum were talking.  
  
"So how long did it take you to capture a Bulbasaur?" Brock was asking.  
  
"Well, I used my Poliwrath to." Mr. Ketchum stopped when Giovanni literally ran into him. "What is it, trouble?"  
  
"Ash is in trouble." Giovanni said frantically. "A bunch of wild Pokemon are attacking him."  
  
"What Ash? No!" Mr. Ketchum cried.  
  
He and Brock followed Giovanni. As Giovanni got them, Ash had been avoiding attacks from Pokemon. A Ratata tried to trip him and a Fearow nearly took his head off. Ash was running next to a wall and had found a ledge to get onto.  
  
"I'm safe now." He panted as the Pokemon ran just below him. "Oh, I need help." Finally Giovanni and the others arrived.  
  
"Ash!" Brock cried, but Ash only heard his voice.  
  
"Brock, help!" He called back.  
  
"Your dad is coming to help, just hold on a little longer."  
  
"Got it!"  
  
Brock pointed out Ash and Mr. Ketchum knew what he had to do. Without even considering his own safety and well being, he leaped into the river of Pokemon.  
  
"Oh yea you.!" Mr. Ketchum growled to a Pidgey that hit him. He got out a Pokeball but he heard Ash cry out. He put it away and kept moving. Just as he was going to reach Ash, the same Pidgey knocked Ash off the ledge. But Mr. Ketchum leaped over a Pinser and caught Ash just in time.  
  
"Oh dad, I'm so glad you came. I was so scared." Ash said as his dad put him on his back.  
  
"I got worried too, now let's get out of here." Mr. Ketchum found a smaller ledge and climbed on. "It's ok now, we're safe." Just then, on the higher ledge above them, they heard Brock cry out in pain. Mr. Ketchum thought he'd better go see what was up. "Here Ash, I cant' climb with my Pokeballs. Watch them, I'm counting on you." Mr. Ketchum gave his son his Pokeballs and climbed up like a skilled mountaineer.  
  
"Don't worry dad." Ash said quietly. "Just be careful."  
  
"What happened up here?" Mr. Ketchum demeaned.  
  
He had pulled himself half way over the ledge. He didn't see Brock, but he saw Giovanni. As he tried pulling the rest of himself over the edge, the rock he stood on gave loose and he slipped, just barely hanging on.  
  
"Whoa!" Ash cried.  
  
The rock almost hit him. He thought he'd better help, but then he saw the Pokeballs. Ash knew his dad had told him to watch them. But he also knew that his dad would be ok, he was always ok.  
  
"Giovanni." Mr. Ketchum said as he hung on. "Don't just stand there." He tried putting his feet on another rock but it gave away too. "Help me." Giovanni grabbed Mr. Ketchum's free hand and pulled him up but stopped.  
  
"I can't pull you in." He said, pretending to struggle.  
  
"Yes you can, just pull!" Mr. Ketchum growled.  
  
"Did I say can't? Oh, I meant to say won't." Giovanni corrected with a grin. Mr. Ketchum's eyes widened with fear. "Good day." And with that, he let go. Mr. Ketchum slipped back. He waved his arms to try and maintain any balance he had, but he fell anyway. "Title, here I come." Giovanni walked off with a satisfied smile.  
  
"No dad, dad!' Ash cried when he saw him fall. He picked up the Pokeballs and went to see if he was alright. When he got down, he dropped a Pokeball. He picked it up only to find that it was the Pokeball look-a-like, Voltorb. He used explosion. Ash coughed away the smoke and found the real Pokeball, it had rolled next to his dad's still body. "Dad, are you ok, can you get up?" No response. Ash started to cry.  
  
"Ash." Ash turned to see Giovanni. "It's ok. You didn't mean for this to end up this way. But you won't ever be able to see your dad again, he is dead after all." Ash looked up at him but turned away. "What will the town think?" "What's gonna happen to me? I don't want anymore trouble."  
  
"Then leave Pallet." Ash looked Giovanni, confused. "Go and find a new town that won't know what you've just done." Ash looked at his dad's dead body and Pokeballs and then turned and ran.  
  
"It worked." Jessy and James laughed as they appeared by their boss. Giovanni pointed a finger at Ash and they ran after him to seek and destroy.  
  
"There he is!" Meowth called.  
  
Ash turned confused and startled to see that Team Rocket had appeared behind him. He turned and ran even faster. He climbed up a tree. Koffing tried to tackle him but banged his head. Ash got out of the tree and came to the edge of a tall hill. He started down when he saw Team Rocket. He tripped and rolled down to the bottom. Meowth, Koffing and Ekans followed as Jessy and James watched from the top of the hill.  
  
"I gotta split." Ash panted as he crawled under some bushes and escaped on the other side.  
  
"Look out!" Jessy called.  
  
Koffing skidded to a halt just as he was going to crash into them. He sighed with a grin. But then Ekans landed on top of him, causing him to be pushed closer to the bushes. Meowth banged into the back of them and Koffing flew into the sticky bushes. James and Jessy ran down. Jessy, Ekans and Meowth laughed at Koffing when he came out with glue like stuff all over him and leaves and twigs stuck to him.  
  
"It's not funny!" James moaned as he started to brush off Koffing.  
  
"Well, the brat split." Jessy sighed.  
  
"Well the sun sure will finish our job." Meowth said, looking out towards the sunset.  
  
"And he'll never show his stuck up face here again." James agreed.  
  
"Yea, he knows we'd beat him up and then let our Pokemon kill him." Jessy nodded.  
  
"Yea, I guess you're right." Meowth laughed.  
  
Jessy and James returned Koffing and Ekans and made their way back to Giovanni. Ash had heard them talking and believed them, he knew he'd never come back. Back in Pallet at the main meeting center in the town square, Delia and the others had just received the news from Giovanni. Brock patted her on the back. Misty started crying and her sisters hugged her.  
  
"Even thought we have lost the Pokemon Master and his son, you shall be protected by myself. For I shall rise to no longer be the second best trainer, by the Pokemon Master of the world, Pallet Town's new protector." As Giovanni spoke, his army of Rocket's appeared. Everyone gasped, there were so many they were larger than the town's population. "Welcome Pallet, welcome to my allegiance!" He laughed.  
  
Everyone cowered in fear, all too many bad things were happening at once. Professor Oak slipped away to his home and picked up a clipboard. It had some names on it, they were the next generation of trainers. Gary's name was on it, as well as a boy named Damian and a girl named Melony, and at the bottom was Ash. Prof. Oak took his pencil and turned it around, and erased Ash's name. 


	2. Ch2 The Second Half

Elsewhere, the next day, Ash had come to the outskirts of Crimson City, but had passed out, too hot and too tired.  
  
"Hey look Tracy." A boy said, he had brown hair and wore a camera around his neck.  
  
"What is it Todd, better not be another one of your photo ops." The other boy came over.  
  
"No, not this time." Todd turned back to Ash's body. "Is he dead?"  
  
"I doubt it, but we should help him."  
  
"But how, we're only like six and seven years old."  
  
"So? Come on." Tracy motioned for Todd to help him pick up Ash and they carried him to town.  
  
Tracy and Todd were two kids at The Orphanage School For Future Pokemon Trainers, and any other professions dealing with Pokemon. The duo weren't abandoned, they just when there for school because they wanted to grow up and work around Pokemon.  
  
Later, Ash opened his eyes to see Tracy and Todd standing over him.  
  
"Hu?" Ash sat up slowly, tired.  
  
"Here, you must be thirsty." Todd gave Ash a cup of water. Ash drank it and wiped his mouth.  
  
"What's up?" Tracey asked.  
  
"Nothing but past problems." Ash sighed. "Thanks for helping me, but no thanks." He stood up weakly.  
  
"Forget the past and think about the present." Tracy smiled, Ash looked at him confused.  
  
"Yea, you're with us now. Come on." Todd smiled.  
  
They walked off. Ash shrugged and followed. They took Ash under their wing and they were together for five more years. They had grown up to be ten, eleven and twelve. Tracy and Todd had already graduated from the academy, which Ash chose never to attend. Ash seemed happier, but something was missing.  
  
"I miss Pallet, and the things I left behind." He said to himself one night.  
  
He stopped in the street and found a piece of paper on the ground. He made a paper airplane out of it and wrote Ash-Airlines, one way to Pallet. He then threw it off and it was carried away by the wind. Ash sighed and decided to go to sleep.  
  
Elsewhere in Pallet, Prof. Oak was gazing at the stars when something hit him.  
  
"Ow, what the.?" He turned and saw a paper airplane, he read what is said. Prof. Oak looked confused, Ash had always made paper airplanes like that, but he was killed five years ago. right? Prof. Oak saw the Crimson City logo on the corner of the paper airplane. He grinned and ran inside. He picked up the clipboard, still grinning. He grinned even more when he found himself writing Ash's name back in its place. "It's time to begin." Professor Oak set his sights for Crimson City, right on course.  
  
The next day in Crimson City, Tracy had gone to show Ash his newly captured Venonat. Todd had gone out to take pictures when he spotted a Pidgey. He followed it and took its picture.  
  
"Hmm." Todd examined the photo. "This background seems unprofessional, in other words. ugly."  
  
"Ugly! So I'm ugly hu?" Todd looked up at the voice to see a girl standing in front of him. She had red-orange hair tied to a ponytail on one side. She wore blue shorts and a yellow shirt. "I'll teach you, go Starmie! She threw her Pokeball and out came Starmie.  
  
"Ah!" Todd dropped the picture and ran with the girl and her Starmie on his tail.  
  
"What a nice day?" Tracy said as he strolled through the field by Crimson City.  
  
"Help!" Todd cried. Tracy saw a blast of water just miss himself.  
  
"What's going on?" Tracy turned to see Todd being chased.  
  
"Mad lady at twelve o clock!" Todd cried.  
  
Tracy saw the girl and the Starmie. They cowered just as they were about to be hit by Starmie's spin, when a boy knocked it out of the way. The girl looked shocked as her Starmie's jewel flashed, signaling that it was hurt. She returned it and looked angrily at the stranger. He had dark messy hair with a cap, he wore blue jeans and a black shirt with a blue vest jacket. They scowled at each other with a growl and leaped towards the other.  
  
"Wow, what a champ." Tracy cheered. "He could pass for a pro boxer or a backyard street fighter, it's spectacular."  
  
"Yea. Go for the neck, go for the neck. But watch your neck!" Todd added. Ash leaped and tackled the girl but she threw him onto his back and put a foot on his chest.  
  
"Oh. We lost.." Tracy sighed.  
  
Ash looked up at the girl and gasped, "No way."  
  
"What, can't believe you lost?" The girl panted.  
  
"Misty?" The girl looked at him confused but helped him up. "It's been a long time."  
  
"Do I know you?"  
  
"Yea it's me, Ash." He stood proudly.  
  
"Ash?" She cocked an eyebrow and he nodded. They returned a smile. "Hi."  
  
"Hey, what is this?" Tracy interrupted their moment.  
  
"Oh! Sorry. Misty these are my friends, Tracy and Todd."  
  
"Hi." They nodded and Misty smiled back. Then she turned to Ash.  
  
"Wait until Pallet knows you're alive, and your mom will be so happy. After all, none of us ever got over hearing about the indecent." Misty's words caused Tracy and Todd to look at each other confused.  
  
"Uh, can we talk for a while?" Ash asked his friends. Tracy and Todd nodded and left.  
  
"Ash, we really need you at home. Why did you leave anyway, did you ever think about your mom?"  
  
"I can't explain." He let out a sigh.  
  
"Look Ash," Misty started as she saw Ash frown up at the sky. "You don't know what's happened to Kanto. The things Giovanni has done, I always thought he was a nice guy. We need you to set things strait, you should be in charge."  
  
"Why? I'm no trainer. Besides, you don't know what I've been through."  
  
"I'm heading back in the morning, at least consider it." And with that, Misty walked away.  
  
That night, Ash saw his three friends sleeping peacefully. But he couldn't relax, not with what Misty had said. But he couldn't go back.. could he?  
  
"Why did this have to happen to me? Even if I could go back, I'm no trainer. I'm a push over compared to Giovanni. Why do I have to go back anyway, I'm happy here." Ash was alone with his thoughts as he walked around the city streets.  
  
"Ash, no one can make you go back. But are you truly happy here?" It may have been five years, but Ash could recognize that voice anywhere.  
  
"Professor Oak? How did you find.."  
  
"Never mind that Ash. I can't make you, nor can Misty. It's up to you, you must decide. Think of Pallet and think of here. Decide Ash, it's all up to you. The fate of Kanto rests solely on your shoulders." And with that, Prof. Oak walked off, leaving Ash alone with his thoughts. Finally, he walked off too.  
  
The next morning, nobody could find Ash. Misty knew he'd gone back.  
  
"Why'd he leave?" Todd asked. "Doesn't he like us anymore?"  
  
"Yes of course." Misty replied. "It's just that he knew he had to go back home."  
  
"Well, let's go too." Tracy stepped up.  
  
Misty smiled. Tracy and Todd nodded at each other, if Ash had to go, then they'd go too.  
  
Elsewhere, Ash was making his way through Kanto to get back to Pallet.  
  
"I have to set things right." He knew his destiny.  
  
He stood on top of a cliff that overlooked Pallet. His angry game face turned to one of shock at what he saw. What had happened to his hometown? It was a dark, desolate, gloomy, run down place. It looked as if the town had a curse on it. Ash felt a wind blowing at him.  
  
"Ash!" Three voices cried and his friends appeared at his side.  
  
"You decided to come back?" Misty approached him.  
  
"Yea. Besides, this is my home, I have to avenge it, as well as my dad. I must follow in his footsteps, but first, I must face Giovanni."  
  
"Whoa, what a test." Tracy whispered over to Todd.  
  
They all started down to Pallet. Thunder was heard in the distance as they neared the town's Memorial Hall.  
  
"Rockets." Misty growled as the dark suited members surrounded the building.  
  
"Friends of those bullies?" Ash asked and Misty nodded.  
  
Meanwhile, those 'bullies' were talking to some of the other Rockets on the other side of the building. They too had grown older, they were now seventeen, but still together.  
  
"Hey, listen to this." Jessy was saying, she and James had a new motto to try out. "To protect the world from de-forestation."  
  
"To unite all people within plant-ation."  
  
"To denounce the evils of forest fires."  
  
"To keep all trees behind barbed wires."  
  
"Jessy."  
  
"James."  
  
"Our role model is democrat Al Gore."  
  
"Join us now, or you'll think we're a bore."  
  
"What are you two saying?" Meowth cut in.  
  
"Oops, wrong one." James blushed. "Here's the real motto." Meowth rolled his eyes.  
  
"Prepare for trouble."  
  
"Make it double."  
  
"To protect the world from devastation."  
  
"To unite all people within our nation."  
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."  
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above."  
  
"Jessy."  
  
"James."  
  
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."  
  
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight."  
  
"That's right!" Meowth jumped in. "And that's the real motto."  
  
The trio looked at the other Rockets. They all grinned and applauded, and one even gave them a thumbs up. While this went on, Ash was telling the others his plan.  
  
"Tracy, Todd, distract the Rockets. Misty, go find everyone. I'll see to Giovanni."  
  
The group nodded and ran off. Todd and Tracy taunted the Rockets until they chased them away. Ash nodded and went to go find Giovanni.  
  
"Delia, report to me at once!" Giovanni's voice was heard booming inside the main auditorium. Ash heard and snuck into the meeting.  
  
"Now what?" Delia appeared down the aisle.  
  
"It's about Pallet, you're not improving your work efforts."  
  
"It's been five years, haven't you learned that we're not your slaves?"  
  
"Don't forget who rules over this county region. One more mistake Ketchum, and you'll feel the blunt of my iron fist on Pallet."  
  
"Oh yea? Really?" Delia asked slyly. That did it, Giovanni growled angrily.  
  
"Persian, sic her!"  
  
His Persian leaped out from behind the podium and pounced on Delia. Ash shook his head in disbelief. Delia struggled to hold the growling wildcat back. Persian raised a paw, the sharp claws fully extended.  
  
"No!" Ash yelled, he couldn't take it anymore. Everyone gasped as Ash ran over and shoved Persian off his mom. Persian landed wrong and was hurt. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Ash?" Delia gasped as he tried to help prop her up.  
  
"Yea."  
  
While the two talked, Giovanni turned to Team Rocket, "Why is he alive?" Team Rocket slunk away from their growling boss.  
  
"Giovanni." Giovanni turned to see Ash walking towards him, cornering him against the back wall of the stage. "You aren't a real master, go back to your gym."  
  
"That's no greeting Ash." Giovanni said coolly as he walked away from him. "After all, I have kept your secret after all these years."  
  
"Secret?" Everyone started whispering. Ash looked around, growing nervous.  
  
"What secret?" Misty came out through the floor crowd.  
  
"Go ahead and tell them Ash. After all, they're curious now. You came back to Pallet, accept your consequences." Giovanni gestured Ash towards the crowd.  
  
"I." Ash tensed. "I, killed my dad." Everyone gasped. "I didn't mean to!" He saw his mom in the crowd, being aided by Misty's sisters. "It was an accident!" Giovanni started to back Ash up on the stage front.  
  
"You see Ash, you can't hide that you're a murderer." Ash backed up against the stairwell, and because Giovanni was still backing him up, he began to climb up them backwards until he was on the balcony above the rows of seats below. "I told you, you would be safe someplace else. But you didn't listen, as usual. And now that you disobeyed once again, you must pay the consequences!"  
  
And with that, Ash tripped backwards over the guardrail bar on the edge of the balcony and slipped over, hanging onto the ledge for dear life. Thunder boomed and the lights flickered on the high ceiling. The storm was coming in fast now.  
  
"Ash!" Misty cried and turned to everyone. "I don't care what he's done, but we can't let him get killed too!"  
  
"Well Ash, I guess you never knew what the penalty was. Death." Giovanni grabbed one of Ash's hands and pulled him close. "And what's really ironic is that the true killer is being rewarded while the blackmailed boy is about to be killed, just like the one he was said to believe he murdered."  
  
Giovanni raised a fist to deliver the final blow, but it was too late. Ash had already put two and two together. He glared angrily at Giovanni and ducked the punch and grabbed his first.  
  
"Aha! I got you know." Ash jumped up and pinned Giovanni up against the corner.  
  
"Uh oh. I never thought my brilliant plan would end up this way."  
  
"Go ahead Giovanni." Ash grabbed his collar and rammed him up. "Tell them what you told me."  
  
"Fine. I'm the real murderer, not Ash." Giovanni snapped his fingers.  
  
Everyone growled, growing angry. Ash looked confused, why had Giovanni snapped? But the answer literally hit him, Persian attacked him. Brock ran up to the balcony and knocked Persian off, Prof. Oak helped Ash up.  
  
"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me." Ash ran off to find Giovanni and face him in a final showdown.  
  
"Whoops, wrong turn." Giovanni skidded to a halt in the upper level and was at the top suite. He whirled around, but it was too late, Ash had already found him. "Uh, um, I.." "I don't want to kill you," Ash began.  
  
"You can't kill me, I'm a gym leader, the one with the Earth Badge."  
  
"But I can't kill you." Ash sighed.  
  
"So don't kill me- what?"  
  
"What you said is true, but it's not because of that. I don't want to be a real killer, even if it was for someone like you. I could never live with it."  
  
"Well that's a relief. So, no hard feelings then?"  
  
But before Ash could answer, nor less think, Giovanni shoved him down. The Rockets and the crowd of townspeople below watched as the fight on the high suite began.  
  
"Ow, man that hurt." Ash rubbed his back, but his eyes snapped open. There were Pokeballs on his belt. His dad's Pokeballs! Ash looked over at Prof. Oak who grinned. Ash grinned back and stood up, getting out a Pokeball. "Pokeball, here we go!"  
  
"What?" Giovanni gasped. Out came Mr. Ketchum's powerful looking Raichu.  
  
"Pokemon battle." Ash grinned over at Giovanni.  
  
"You want a battle, you got it! Five each, battle mode."  
  
Giovanni sent out his Pokeballs. Out came the Pokemon- Cloyster, Machamp, Golem, Rhydon and Kingler.  
  
"Well Raichu, here comes your backup."  
  
Ash threw other Pokeballs, out came- Blastoise, Venusaur, Arcanine and Eevee.  
  
"Let's get started. Cloyster, use your water attack."  
  
Cloyster shot a big blast of water at Blastoise, but he hid in his shell.  
  
"Tackle him Blastoise."  
  
Blastoise spun into Cloyster, cracking his shell. Blastoise punched open Cloyster's shell, he was fainted. Blastoise kicked Cloyster away.  
  
"Grr, go get him Machamp!"  
  
Machamp picked up Blastoise and threw him off the edge of the balcony. Ash gasped as Blastoise hit the floor. He looked up weakly, he was in no condition to keep fighting.  
  
"Good job Blastoise." Ash returned him. "Team him a lesson Venusaur, vine whip!"  
  
Venusaur wrapped his vines around Machamp, but he surprisingly used a swords dance attack. The vines pulled Venusaur towards Machamp, who burst from the vines. Venusaur fell, hurt.  
  
"That's teaching him." Giovanni laughed.  
  
Machamp picked up Venusaur and threw him into the air, he kicked and punched him. Venusaur was weakened by the powerful fighting moves, and since Ash wasn't a trainer, he didn't know how to fight like Giovanni.  
  
"Take a break Venusaur." Ash returned him. "I bet you can show him Raichu."  
  
Raichu leaped for Machamp and swung his electrifying tail. It hit Machamp down, he was very weak.  
  
"Impossible!" Giovanni gasped. "But it can't beat this. Go Golem!"  
  
"You don't know who you're dealing with. Hyper beam!"  
  
"Say what the..!" Giovanni was shocked and confused. Raichu's tail glowed white and he shot a hyper beam out of his paws right at Golem, fainting him. "That's it, go get them Rhydon." Rhydon roared and towered over Raichu. He wasn't afraid, he shocked Rhydon on his horn. The attack paralyzed him. "No! It's up to you now Kingler." Kingler walked up to Raichu and took him by surprise, freezing him with an ice beam. "Yea, alright."  
  
"No! Raichu return." Ash looked down at Eevee, who nodded. "Go attack Eevee, use your take down!" Eevee ran towards Kingler, but Giovanni just laughed. "Quick, before you're attacked, use rage tackle!" Eevee jetted like a bolt of lightning.  
  
"Double team, reflect." Giovanni commanded with a grin. Eevee suddenly saw three Kinglers. He tried to hit them all but the reflect attack put a mirror up. "Now use your blizzard." The three Kinglers shot a blizzard at Eevee who looked around nervously as he became frozen solid.  
  
"Return Eevee, good try. You couldn't beat the double team. It looks like your up Arcanine." Arcanine howled and ran towards Kingler. "Take down!" The attack hit the wrong Kingler, it disappeared. Ash grinned, "Fire spin!" Arcanine ran to another Kingler and the tornado of flames made it disappear too. "There's the real one, finish it with a fire blast." Arcanine barked and flashed red. A giant fire star shot from his mouth and hit the real Kingler, fainting it. "Ha, way to go."  
  
"So, Arcanine beat my five Pokemon. But haven't you forgot.." Giovanni hinted.  
  
"Oh no, Persian!" Ash gasped. As he spoke, a water attack surrounded by electricity shot at Arcanine. He fainted. "Uh oh, return." Persian stood by Giovanni, ready to face Ash. He grabbed the last remaining Pokeball. "I have one more too. I wonder who it is?"  
  
"Come on, come on, I don't have all day." Giovanni called in protest.  
  
"Go Pokeball, go!" Ash threw the Pokeball, which contained the only hope left for Ash and Pallet. Out came a Psyduck!  
  
"Whoops, wrong Pokeball." Prof. Oak gulped, everyone groaned and leered at him  
  
"Oh, a Psyduck." Giovanni laughed. "I always knew your dad was a looser. This looser Pokemon proves it. Claw him Persian."  
  
All Ash could do was watch as Persian scratched the yellow duck over and over again.  
  
"Use your water gun" Psyduck shot his water attack at Persian, but he just flinched and growled. "What the, aw man."  
  
"This is hardly a battle." Giovanni grinned at himself.  
  
"Try to get him." Ash encouraged.  
  
Psyduck ran towards Persian with an arm out in front. But when Psyduck opened his eyes, he was in Persian's mouth. He got scared and popped out, he began to run around in circles. Persian rolled with laughter, this was hardly any challenge at all. Psyduck held his head and closed his eyes. Everyone saw but Persian, he was still laughing. Suddenly Persian glowed blue, Psyduck had disabled him. He then threw him onto Giovanni with his confusion attack. They fell backwards and rolled down the stairs back onto the main stage. All of the Rockets ran over, except for Team Rocket. Jessy, James and Meowth, were nowhere to be seen.  
  
"He got us off guard, what a looser that cheater is." Giovanni grumbled.  
  
But Giovanni couldn't do anything now, he'd lost control over Pallet, and Kanto. He was no longer the Pokemon Master, but once yet again the gym leader of Veridian City. He looked up at Ash who stood on top of the suite.  
  
"I hereby banish all of you to Veridian City. Go back to where you came from, and that is where you'll stay."  
  
Giovanni and the Rockets were out of their territory, so they had to do as he said. They all walked off out of the town's main meeting hall, ashamed at the loss of disgrace. The townspeople turned back to Ash. Thunder boomed and rain began to fall outside. Ash limped down the steps and appeared on the main lecture stage. He came down and approached his friends. Brock passed by and smiled at him. Misty's sisters helped Delia over as Todd and Tracy stood next to Brock. The rest of the town gathered around. Ash hugged his mom and smiled over at Misty.  
  
"Ahem?" Everyone turned to see Prof. Oak. They knew why, so they followed him to his house. Prof. Oak stood on his porch as the rain continued to fall. On one side of the stairs was Gary and on the other side was Damian and Melony, they each held a Pokeball. Ash understood now, he walked up to the top of the steps. Prof. Oak had a Pokeball in his hand, he held it over to Ash. Ash grinned and hugged him. Prof. Oak blushed, "It's time now, Ash." He placed it in his hand. Ash stood on the side by Gary and the four trainers began to walk down the stairs with Prof. Oak standing in the lead, "Behold. The next generation of Pokemon trainers has arrived." Everyone cheered as the four aspiring young trainers held their Pokeballs high over their heads.  
  
'Someday, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, you will too.' The former PokeMaster, Mr. Ketchum's, words echoed in Ash's mind. He looked down at his mom, her hair dripping with rain. She grinned back. And Ash couldn't tell if the falling water droplets on her face were from tears or rain, but he knew it was probably both.  
  
Many years later..  
  
Ash Ketchum looked up at the sun, his first Pokemon, Pikachu, stood by his side. The yellow mouse wasn't the only one there, so was Misty. Ash and Misty were both all grown up now, so were Brock, Tracy and Todd. They stood beside the couple. Ash had become the Pokemon Master, he was in his dad's place now. For he and Misty turned around and Professor Oak came up with a baby, their baby. The next generation of Pokemon trainers had begun. And maybe one day, it too will become a Pokemon Master 


End file.
